Lid for disposal can



Feb. 25, 1964 RYAN 3,122,260

LID FOR DISPOSAL CAN Filed April 1, 1963 INVENTOR. MIR/f J.' EYfi/V United States Patent DISPGSAL (IAN Maria 5. Ryan, 1635 tClayton St, Cincinnati, Gino Filed Apr. 1, 1963, Io. 265M821 4 Claims. (Ci. Zia-24) The present invention relates to trash or garbage cans, and more particularly to the lids or covers for such cans.

Trash cans, also garbage cans, are usually sold with a tightly fitted flanged lid with the idea that the tightness of tit is sufiicient to prevent dogs, the wind, and unauthorized persons from disl dging the lid. However, the banging around of the cans by the trash or garbage collector usually will cause them to be distorted, sometimes slightly and, at other times, causing marked changes in shape such as elliptical so that the circular lid will no longer fit the periphery of the can. When this happens, the lid can then only be laid over the top of the can, balancing precariously on the upper edge thereof, and can be readdy displaced, to leave the contents of the can unprotected from the weather.

The primary purpose of the invention is to provide a lid or cover for a trash or garbage can which is self-locking and cam be firmly secured, regardless of the amount of distortion of the open end of the can.

Another purpose is to provide an improved lid for a garbage or trash can which can be secured to or loosened from the can by a simple manipulation of the hand. Thus, no tools are required firmly to fit the lid or cover on the can, regardless of the amount of distortion or outoi-shapeness sustained by the can, due perhaps to rough handling.

A further object is to provide an improved lid for a garbage or trash can, the upper edge of which may have been distorted from an accurate circular shape and in which the securing means is obtained by a mere twist or rotation of the lid in one direction and in the opposite direction to release the lid.

A further purpose is to provide a combined trash can of strictly non-circular or other distorted shape, and a flanged cover therefor which can encompass the open end of the can and be tightened thereon, IlOiZWllJifll'lding any amoimt of non-circularity or other distortion of the said open end.

Other objects and features will be apparent as the specification is perused in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a typical trash or garbage can provided with the improved cover;

FIGURE 2 represents a plan view of the can and cover shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional View of the upper portion of the can and cover shown in FIGURE 2, taken along line 3-3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a view looking upwardly at the position of the line 44 in FIGURE 3 and showing the relation between the can and cover before the latter has been tightened in place;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4, but showing the relation of the parts after the lid has been moved in tight engagement with the can;

FIGURE 6 represents a vertical sectional view (partially cut away) showing the adaptation of the improved cover to a different form of rim on the upper end of the can;

FIGURE 7 depicts a fragmentary sectional view taken at the line 77 in FIGURE 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 8 shows, in perspective, a modified form of handle for the improved cover which is also illustrated in FIGURE 6; and

"ice

FIGURE 9 illustrates a fragmentary sectional view of still another form of rim at the upper end of the can to which my improved lid can apply.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, reference character 1 represents the main body of a trash can, usually zinc-coated and having a solid base 2. A handle 3 may be provided at diametrical positions on the body. The upper end of the can, indicated generally at 4 usually has a circular configuration, when new, and may be reinforced by a steel band shown at 5 in FIG- URE 3, or by bending the edge outwardly into a re-entrant curvilinear shape indicated at 6 in FIGURE 7, or possibly by a rolled-over circular envelope 7 containing a metal ring 8. Notwithstanding the presence of these ed e reinforcements, it has been found that, due to rough handling, usually on the part of the trash or garbage collectors, the can, particularly the upper edge, becomes out of shape, sometimes conforming to an ellipse, i.e., it lacks true circularity.

There are, of course, many reasons for this distortion of shape, such as overloading of the trash can so that the collector is not able to lift the can readily and therefore cannot handle the can with care. Another reason may be that the collector positioned on the top of the pile in the trash truck is inclined to throw the empty can down onto the ground with such force as to cave in the side. But regardless of the manner in which these distortions, dents, etc, occur, it will be noted that any flatness acquired by the can at a portion of its periphery is ofiset by a bulging effect at another portion of the periphery because the perimeter measured around the can has to remain substantially constant. Consequently, the problem which I have solved by my improved lid, described presently, is to provide a lid which fits not only snugly and fairly tight when the can is new, and has a strict circularity, but also when the can is, for any reason whatsoever, bent out of this circular configuration.

The lid as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 is formed of a metal plate 9, which may have a non-circular shape, but preferably symmetrical, such as that of an ellipse as indicated in FIGURE 2. The plate is provided with an upstanding handle in formed of a strip of metal welded at a position on the plate over toward the edge of the can. This position of the handle is advantageous since an upward pull can be exercised near the place where the binding effect takes place. A flange ll is welded or otherwise secured to the edge of the plate 9 so that the flange conforms to the shape of the plate. As stated hereinbefore, the general shape of the flange and the plate may conform to that of a crude ellipse although it may also take on other different shapes. The diametral size of the interior surface of the flange, i.e., its smallest dimension, should be such as to fit over the reinforced portions 5, 6, 7 with a very small clearance, leaving the flange in a direction at right angles to the smallest size to overlap the other edge portions of the rim. This overlapping eliect has been indicated in FIGURE 2 by the reference character l2. It will be noted that the most overlap appears along an axis at right angles to the axis along which the lid is caused to fit fairly snugly over the can. In practice, the distance across the lid at its smallest dimension should be such as to permit the lid to be re ceived with very little clearance by a rim of true circularity so that if this rim were distorted or flattened, there would be considerable looseness between the fiange and the reinforced rim at the distorted or flattened position. This positional relationship has been illustrated in FIG- URE 4 where a slight space a is indicated between the exterior surface of the can and the interior surface of the flange at the shortest transverse distance across the can and the lid.

By reference to FIGURE 5, it will be noted that if true circle it wh amazes 15 the cover or lid is swung or twisted in the clockwise direction (as in the fig re), the interior surface of the f nge will tightly contact at opposite positions, and the distortion or the can, dents etc, will cause portions thereor" to become at least a ii o greater in size at the position where the id had the least amount of clearance. to eliect this tight joint, to twist the cover co ably in one direction or the other 1 l a portion or the can is reached which is bulged out as to press tightly against the interior surface of the iiange. For example, in 5, engagement w, a strong wedging eiiect can or stated using the handle it! to obtain a grasp. e greater the depar e from the circular shape, the more would be the twisting action necessary to effect a tight engagement. ln order to release tie lid from the rim of the can, i is necessary merely to turn or twist the lid in the opposite direction from that which was u"ed in tightening the lid.

it is apparent that instructions can be placed on the lid to turn the same n the smallest size measured across the flange is sufficiently large to extend over a certain portion of the and then to twist the lid in one di ection to tig ten and in the other direction to loosen. This tight engagement between the flange and the lid is sufficient to prevent any displacement or" the lid with respect to the can, due to force being applied to the can. The lid, therefore, serves as a complete protection for the contents of the can also remains in place after the twisting operation mentioned, and therefore, erves to prot ct the contents from all outside deleterious effects.

Instead o g rirn formed of a strip of metal indicated at is HERE 3, th' r m may have a beadedout cficct formed as a ser flange 6 in which case the lid or cover would be ith a flange indicated at i l of a sirn tion as to fit snugly against the rim when in a tightened condition as indicated in FIGURE 7. Again, the rim may take the form of a roll 7 as shown in FIGURE 9, which contains a solid rod hoop 8 for reinforcement purposes. In this case, the cover would be provided with a flange of corresponding configuration so as to lit at least over the upper portion of the roll '7.

There is shown in FEGURES 6 and 8 a modified form of handle indicated at 15 which extends across a depressed area 16 which may he obtained by a suitably shaped die during the lornhg process. A strip 15 of metal is normally welded as indicated at 17 to the upper surface of the lid or cover. This form of handle is somewhat more rugged than the upstanding inverted U- form indicated at 16 in FIGURES l and 2, since only the clmess of the handle extends above the cover.

e 1 have shown and described the lid or cover as havhg preferably an elliptical shape, it is not necessary that it shall have such configuration, but any shape may he used so as to provide the necessary wedging or tighter ing sheet as it is twisted and also that it shall have a longer axis in one direction than the other. The dimen sion across the shortest axis should be such as to provide a fairly snug fit when the can is new and has strict circularity so that the cover can still be used on new cans eve thou h it may not provide a tightening or wedging action as it is turned or twisted on account of the circular shape. However, all trash cans, after being in use for only a few days, talce a non-circular configuration and it is at this time that a tightening action can be effected as the lid is twisted on account of the resulting wedge eiifect exercised at the interior surface of the flange and the exterior surface or" the rim.

lower/er, it will be recognized that in the quantity production of trash and garbage cans, allowing for the usual tolerances, the exact configuration or" the so-called be provided hi the m circular can departs rom a true circle. It would only be an accident that a new can of accurate circularity would be produce Thus, this departure would lend itself to the binding effect provided by my improved lid. Moreover, it is also possible that a slight and perhaps temporary deformation in the periphery of a new can would be caused by pressing a tight-fitting lid, having flared lid 14 as shown in FIGURE 6, over the can, v/hivll would provide an inward and deforming pressure. Accordingly,

my invention contemplates the use of the elliptical fornr or" lid as "ed to a trash or garbage can whether new or old, and m which there is a departure, great or small, from exact circularity and caused in any manner.

It will be understood that this love on is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to d nerent usages and conditions; and accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. A lid for a metal refuse can, said can being open at one end and closed at the other, the open end of the can having a rim of a curved but non-circular configura 7.

.tightly'contact portions of the exterior rim of the can to lock the lid in place.

2. A lid for a metal refuse can, said can being open at one end and closed at the other, the open end of the can having a rim of a curved but non circular configuration, said lid having a flange, the interior dimension of which is shorter in one direction than i the direction at right angles thereto but is being suf"ciently large to permit the entire flange to drop over the can with the minimum clearance, whereby upon rotating th portion or" the interior surface of the flan e will tightly contact portions of the exterior rim of the can to lock the lid in place, and upon rotating the lid in the opposite direction the flange will-be caused to disengage from the rim of the can to be readily removed.

3. A lid for a metal refuse can, said can having a rim of an elliptical shape, said lid having a curved flan e conforming generally to the shape of the rim but having a dimension along its longitudinal axis greater than the dimension along the transverse axis of the rim, the smallest transverse dimension of the flange being of a size as snugly to fit over the smallest dimension of the rim whereby the ends of the flange, transverse of said smallest dimension, project outwardly from the can when the lid is in place so that when the lid is rotated, portions of the flange will contactportions of the rim to hold the lid tightly in place.

4. A lid for trash and garbage cans hav ng a general circular configuration but having deformations therein, said lid comprising a plate with a peripheral flange adapted to fit over the can, the inside surface of the flange hchrg formed substantially elliptical and of a size at its smallest d =1 as to fit fairly sr -gly over at least one diametrical position on the open end of the can whereby upon rotating the lid, the inside surface of the flange will contact at east one of said defer. rations to hold the lid tightly in place.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS lid, 21 

1. A LID FOR A METAL REFUSE CAN, SAID CAN BEING OPEN AT ONE END AND CLOSED AT THE OTHER, THE OPEN END OF THE CAN HAVING A RIM OF A CURVED BUT NON-CIRCULAR CONFIGURATION, SAID LID HAVING A FLANGE, THE INTERIOR DIMENSIONS OF WHICH ARE SHORTER IN ONE DIRECTION IF MEASURED ACROSS THE FLANGE THAN IN A DIRECTION AT RIGHT ANGLES THERETO, THE SHORTEST DIMENSION ACROSS THE FLANGE BEING SUFFICIENTLY LARGE TO PERMIT THE ENTIRE FLANGE TO DROP OVER THE CAN WITH THE MINIMUM CLEARANCE, WHEREBY UPON ROTATING THE 